The best trading apps

Once the preserve of pinstriped City traders, the stock market is now in everyone’s pocket, with more than 1.6 million UK adults trading from their phones. According to the FCA’s latest survey, nearly half are under 34, proving that investing has not only gone mobile but distinctly millennial.

And where investors go, providers follow, with an explosion of ‘neo-brokers’ taking on the mainstream platforms. There’s also been fierce competition on the fee front with UK challengers piggybacking on the zero commission movement sparked by the likes of Robinhood.

With an increasing amount of choice and competition, it can be daunting for investors to find the right app for their needs. To help with this, we’ve conducted an in-depth review of the best trading apps on the market, focusing on investment choice, fees and other key features to look out for.

Don't ignore fees

It’s easy to ignore small differences in fees but these can really mount up over time. The chart below shows the difference in fees across the least and most expensive platforms in our group over time, assuming a 10% return a year.

An investor with an initial portfolio value of £10,000 would have paid more than £5,000 in fees over 20 years on the most expensive platform.

Our fee calculations are explained in detail below, but the following table summarises fees by provider, with green being the cheapest and red the most expensive.

Source: Kepler calculations

The best trading apps

The table below sets out our pick of the best trading apps, with the methodology behind our rankings set out below (including the basis of our fee calculations).

Freetrade is a UK-based fintech with 1.6 million users and is now part of the IG Group. It offers an investment account, ISA, Junior ISA and SIPP but does not currently provide a Lifetime ISA.

Clients can access more than 8,600 UK, European and US shares, ETFs, funds and investment trusts on the Basic plan, as well as fractional US shares. The full range of general investment account, ISA, Junior ISA and SIPP is now available on the Basic plan.

Freetrade charges no trading fees but platform fees vary by plan:

• Basic plan: no platform fee and 0.99% foreign exchange (FX) fee
• Standard plan: platform fee of £60 per year, higher interest rate on uninvested cash and 0.59% FX fee
• Plus plan: platform fee of £120 per year, highest interest rate on uninvested cash and 0.39% FX fee

Freetrade’s app is simple and intuitive, making it easy for beginners to get started. The “Popular This Week” section helps investors identify trending stocks and ETFs. Free users get access to basic data such as price charts and key ratios, while analyst forecasts are available on paid plans.

Account management is straightforward and downloadable documents are clearly laid out. There is also the option to access via a web browser.

• Minimum investment: £1 (lump-sum and monthly)
• Interest paid on uninvested cash (subject to a cap)
• Customer support only available in-app or via email
• A mid-range Trustpilot rating of 4.2

Freetrade earns our top spot for beginners, thanks to its easy-to-use app, commission-free trading and solid range of investments. While it doesn’t offer the same depth of research or accounts as some of the mainstream platforms, it’s a strong option for cost-conscious investors.

IG is a FTSE 100 company with more than 800,000 active clients worldwide. It offers an investment account, ISA, Junior ISA and SIPP (via a partner) but does not currently support a Lifetime ISA.

Clients can access over 12,000 shares and investment trusts across 18 countries, along with over 5,000 ETFs across indices, sectors, commodities and currencies, with out-of-hours trading available on over 70 US stocks. Actively-managed funds and fractional shares are not available.

IG charges no trading fee on US, UK, European and Australian shares, no platform fee and a mid-range foreign exchange fee of 0.7%.

IG’s proprietary trading platform offers a robust suite of tools, though it may feel a bit daunting for beginners. Users can access detailed market data including interactive price charts, live news feeds and expert stock forecasts.

The platform also supports watchlists and includes a demo account for practising trading before you take the plunge.

In addition to its app and web-based interface, IG allows trading through several third-party platforms, including MetaTrader5, ProRealTime, TradingView and L2 Dealer.

• Minimum investment: £1 (lump-sum), monthly investing is not available
• One of the highest interest rates on uninvested cash
• Customer support available 7 days a week by phone and live chat

• The lowest Trustpilot rating of 3.7

IG is best suited for experienced investors seeking a sophisticated app, advanced trading tools and access to a wide universe of global equities. Its fee structure is very competitive for frequent traders though beginners may find the app more challenging to navigate.

interactive investor (ii) has over 500,000 clients and is owned by fund manager aberdeen (though continues to offer third-party funds). It offers a trading account, SIPP and Junior ISA but not a Lifetime ISA.

Clients have access to over 40,000 investment options, including 17 international markets across the UK, Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, as well as more than 3,000 funds and 1,000 ETFs and a selection of investment trusts. It does not offer fractional shares but does offer multi-currency accounts, which could be useful given the high foreign exchange fee.

ii charges one of the lowest trading fees amongst the mainstream platforms of £3.99 for UK and US shares and funds, and £9.99 for other international shares, along with a mid-range foreign exhange fee of 0.75%. Investors receive free monthly trades under some plans.

ii is one of the few platforms with a flat (rather than percentage-based) platform fee, making it a cost-effective option for investors with higher-value portfolios:

• Core plan (for portfolios up to £10,000): £5.99 per month (includes a trading account, SIPP and ISA)
• Plus plan: £14.99 per month (as above, plus a Junior ISA) with one free monthly trade
• Premium plan: £39.99 per month (as above) with ten free monthly trades

ii’s app offers straightforward navigation and provides basic fund information, including a simple portfolio breakdown, and high-level financial data for individual stocks.

Users can access ii’s daily market updates, covering most-traded shares and funds, along with a good standard of company-specific research.

Account management is clear and intuitive, including trade execution, transaction history review and downloadable documents. The platform is also accessible via a web browser for those who prefer a desktop interface.

• Minimum investment: £1 (lump-sum) and £25 (monthly)
• One of the lower interest rates on uninvested cash
• Good customer support by phone and online
• Second-highest Trustpilot rating of 4.6

Overall, interactive investor may appeal to high-value investors seeking a flat-fee structure or frequent traders looking for a reasonably priced mainstream platform with a wide range of investment options.

AJ Bell is a FTSE 250 company with over 760,000 clients. It offers the full suite of a dealing account, SIPP, Junior ISA and Lifetime ISA.

Clients have access to over 16,000 UK and international shares across 24 markets, 5,100 ETFs, 4,600 funds and 300 investment trusts, but it does not currently offer fractional shares.

AJ Bell charges a trading fee of £5.00 on shares and £1.50 on funds, together with a mid-range foreign exchange fee of 0.75%. Regular traders (10 or more deals in a month) qualify for a reduced trading fee of £3.50.

A platform fee is charged as follows:

• Shares: 0.25% (maximum of £3.50 per month)
• Funds: 0.25% (first £250,000), 0.1% (next £250,000), no charge (over £500,000)

AJ Bell’s app is straightforward to use and provides basic information on funds (including a simple portfolio breakdown) and high-level financial information for stocks.

Its strongest feature is market coverage, with three daily market updates, along with detailed commentary on corporate results, bids and other transactions. Investors seeking ideas can also make use of the Favourite Funds list, which contains around 80 actively managed funds, ETFs and investment trusts.

Account administration is intuitive, with well-organised transaction histories and downloadable documents. The service can also be accessed via a web browser for investors preferring to use a desktop.

Dodl, AJ Bell’s simplified app, may appeal to investors willing to sacrifice investment range in exchange for lower fees. It charges a platform fee of 0.15% (with a £1 monthly minimum) and no trading fees. There’s a choice of around 80 UK and US shares plus 30-odd funds with a minimum monthly investment of £25.

• Minimum investment: £250 (lump-sum) and £25 (monthly)

• One of the lowest interest rates on uninvested cash

• Good customer support by phone and online

• Highest Trustpilot rating of 4.9

AJ Bell stands out as an excellent all-rounder, combining an easy-to-use app, reasonable fees, a broad range of investments and excellent customer satisfaction.

Trading 212 is a UK fintech with over five million lifetime funded accounts globally. It’s FCA-authorised, profit-making and privately-owned. It offers an investment account, ISA and SIPP, but does not currently provide a Junior ISA or Lifetime ISA.

Clients can access over 11,000 UK, European and US shares and 2,000 ETFs, though actively-managed funds are not available. It also offers ready-made ‘model pies’ made up of ETFs, as well as fractional shares and a multi-currency account.

Trading 212 charges no trading or platform fees, as well as the lowest foreign exchange fee of 0.15%.

Trading 212’s app is easy to navigate and provides basic information on stocks, including a financial snapshot and relevant social feeds from fellow investors via a well-populated community forum.
Investors can access most bought and sold data for stocks and ETFs, as well as thematic filters by sector, region and even volatility and valuation.

Account administration is more basic, with some users struggling to generate post-trade transaction documents and annual statements lack the detail of some of the mainstream platforms.

• Minimum investment: £1 (lump-sum and monthly)
• One of the highest interest rates on uninvested cash
• Customer support only available online
• One of the higher Trustpilot ratings of 4.6

Trading 212 takes a highly commended accolade thanks to its low-cost fees, market-leading interest on uninvested cash and a broad range of investments.

HL is one of the largest DIY investment platforms, with over 1.9 million clients and a recent shift to private ownership. It offers the full suite of account types, with an ISA, Junior ISA, Lifetime ISA and SIPP, as well as bare trust accounts.

Clients have access to 8,500 shares across the UK, Europe and North America, alongside over 4,000 funds, 1,900 ETFs and 300 investment trusts. It does not offer fractional shares.

Despite the recent cut in fees, HL still charges the highest trading fee of £6.95 for shares but no trading charge for funds, together with the highest foreign exchange fee of 0.99% (under £10,000).

A platform fee is charged as follows:

• Shares: 0.35% (maximum of £12.50 per month)
• Funds: 0.35% (first £250,000), 0.25% (next £750,000), 0.1%, (next £1 million) & no charge over £2 million

HL’s app is user-friendly and provides a solid level of information on both funds and shares, including proprietary research on popular stocks and a news feed.

Portfolio information includes daily gains or losses by investment, as well as overall performance. A portfolio x-ray feature, available on the website, offers a detailed view of allocations by country and sector, along with calendar returns for the largest holdings.

Market news within the app is limited, however, showing only the largest risers and fallers. Investors can refer to the Wealth Shortlist for ideas, featuring around 70 actively-managed funds.

Account management is straightforward, with simple trade execution, transaction history review and downloadable documents.

• Minimum investment: £1 (lump-sum) and £25 (monthly)
• One of the lowest interest rates on uninvested cash
• Excellent customer support by phone and online
• One of the lower Trustpilot ratings of 4.2

HL is likely to suit investors who are willing to pay higher trading fees for a premium service and want access to the full suite of accounts.

To come up with our list of best trading platforms, we applied three main criteria, being whether providers:

• charged competitive trading and platform fees
• offered customers a broad range of third-party investments
• had a good rating on consumer review site Trustpilot

We also considered other features such as our personal experience of the providers, the option to hold other accounts such as SIPPs and the level of customer support.

We calculated indicative fees on the following basis:

• Split of portfolio: 100% in UK shares
• Trading fees: 24 trades per year
• Portfolio values: £1,000, £10,000 and £50,000.

A trading app allows investors to buy and sell investments directly on a mobile device such as a phone or tablet.

Understanding fees is essential, as even small differences can have a sizeable impact on long-term returns. The main fees to consider are:

• Platform fee: some apps charge a fee for holding your investments. This is usually either a percentage of your portfolio (generally 0.25%-0.35% a year) or a flat charge, while others have no fee at all. Most providers apply tiered fees across different portions of the portfolio, and charges may differ between share-based investments (such as stocks, ETFs and investment trusts) and funds.
• Trading fee: most apps charge a dealing fee when you buy or sell shares, ETFs or investment trusts, typically ranging from £4 to £7 per trade. Some offer commission-free trading, particularly for frequent traders. Fund trades are typically cheaper or free.
• Fund management fee: if you invest in funds, you’ll pay an annual charge to the fund manager, usually between 0.1% and 1%. This is taken directly by the fund and is separate from any fees charged by the trading platform.

While we’ve focused on general trading accounts, it’s worth looking at tax-efficient wrappers such as ISAs and SIPPs. These allow you to invest without paying income tax on dividends or capital gains tax on profits.

Some (though not all) of the platforms listed also offer ISAs and SIPPs alongside general trading accounts. We’ve also produced guides on the best ISA providers, best Junior ISA providers and best SIPP providers.

Opening a trading account is typically a quick process and can usually be completed online in around ten minutes. You’ll be asked to provide basic personal details, including your bank information and National Insurance number. Most identity checks are completed electronically, although some users may be asked to upload documents for verification.

Once your account is approved and funded, you can begin trading. You’re able to buy and sell shares during market hours.

For the London Stock Exchange, this is 8:00am to 4:30pm UK time. Major US markets such as the NASDAQ and NYSE trade from 9:30am to 4:00pm Eastern Time, which normally corresponds to 2:30pm to 9:00pm in the UK, depending on daylight savings.

A trading app offers access to a broad range of investments to suit different objectives and levels of risk. Most allow you to trade UK and US shares, with some also providing access to European, Asian and Australian markets.

You can also invest in funds, which pool money from multiple investors into a broader portfolio. The two main types are:

• Actively-managed funds: Run by professional managers who select a portfolio of assets such as equities, bonds or commodities. Fees are usually higher, typically around 0.5% to 1.0% a year.
• Passively-managed funds: these track a market index such as the FTSE 100 or S&P 500. They include index funds and ETFs (exchange-traded funds). Fees are generally lower, often between 0.1% and 0.5%, and specialist options are available, including commodities or property indices.

If you'd prefer a more hands-off approach, platforms also offer:

• Ready-made portfolios tailored by risk level and managed on your behalf.
• Robo-advisers, which use an online questionnaire to build an automated portfolio based on your goals.
• Financial advisers offering personalised advice, though this is usually the most expensive route.

Minimum requirements vary between providers, but many trading apps allow you to open an account with as little as £1, or from around £25 a month if you choose regular investing.

You’ll need enough in your account to cover the cost of the investments you want to buy, though some platforms offer fractional shares.

Once you’ve chosen your trading app and transferred in your funds, you’re ready to start trading.

Search for the company you want and you’ll see a live price, with a buy-sell spread. You’ll pay the higher price to buy the shares and receive the lower price to sell them (that’s how providers make their money!). A high spread can eat into your potential profits so it’s worth keeping an eye on.

Next, choose how many shares (or how much money) you want to trade and you’ll be given a live quote. You usually have a few seconds to accept it before the quote lapses. Hit “buy” or “sell” within the window, wait for the confirmation and your shares will appear or disappear in your account shortly thereafter (minus any fees).

Yes. Most UK trading apps allow you to buy US-listed shares. You’ll normally pay a dealing fee and a foreign exchange (FX) fee to convert pounds into dollars. You’ll also need to complete a W-8BEN form (valid for three years) to receive the reduced US dividend withholding tax rate of 15% instead of 30%.

FX fees vary widely between providers, often from around 0.15% to 1.50%. For example, a 1.0% FX fee on a £1,000 trade would cost £10. Some apps offer multi-currency accounts, reducing the need for repeated conversions when trading overseas.

Remember that buying US shares also involves currency risk: if the pound strengthens against the dollar, the value of your investment in sterling may fall even if the US share price rises.

When you buy UK shares, most purchases incur Stamp Duty Reserve Tax (SDRT) at 0.5% of the transaction value.

If you sell an investment for more than you paid, you may need to pay capital gains tax (CGT) on the profit. For the 2026-27 tax year, the annual CGT allowance is £3,000, so gains below this amount are typically tax-free.

You may also pay income tax on dividends. The 2026-27 dividend allowance is £500, in addition to the £12,570 personal allowance.

Investments held within tax-efficient accounts such as ISAs, SIPPs and Junior ISAs are exempt from both income tax on dividends and capital gains tax.

When choosing a trading platform, you should check the FCA register to ensure that your platform is authorised. This means that you should have access to the Financial Ombudsman Service and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if an issue arises.

The Financial Ombudsman Service will consider complaints against trading providers and may be able to resolve your complaint if the firm fails to deal with it properly.

The FSCS will consider claims if your trading provider goes out of business and owes you money; however, it relates only to certain investment products. If the product is covered, the FSCS can pay up to £120,000 per investor.

It’s worth checking the protection offered by your trading platform: some platforms are structured so that investments are held in ‘trust’ to protect them in the event of the firm running into financial difficulties.

It’s also important to remember that your investment can go down as well as up, and you may not get your money back. Investing in a diversified portfolio of shares via a fund, investment trust or ETF may help reduce your exposure to an individual company underperforming.

However, if you are unsure as to the right option for your circumstances, you should seek independent financial advice.

There’s no single “best” option for everyone, but beginners often prioritise low fees, an easy-to-use app, good educational support and access to popular UK and US shares. We’ve highlighted the most suitable trading apps for beginners in our best provider tables.

Some apps offer virtual portfolios, allowing you to practise trading without risking real money. Many providers also publish free guides, videos and webinars, which can help you build confidence before you invest.

Customer support is another key factor. Zero-commission apps often rely on online help only, whereas established providers such as HL or AJ Bell usually offer telephone support, which first-time investors may find reassuring.

Day traders are likely to prioritise fast execution, low fees, tight spreads and strong charting tools. Some trading platforms also offer out-of-hours trading in major markets such as the US, as well as multi-currency account to reduce foreign exchange fees.

We’ve highlighted these in our best provider table, but Freetrade, Trading 212 and IG offer zero commission trading, with IG also offering advanced trading tools and third-party trading apps such as MetaTrader.

We’ve highlighted the fees charged for each of our providers in the table above, but here’s a quick summary of the lowest-cost options:

• Trading fees: Freetrade, Trading 212 and IG do not charge trading fees on shares, though there is a foreign exchange fee on non-sterling transactions.
• Platform fees: Freetrade, Trading 212 and IG do not charge a platform fee on shares.

Fractional shares let you purchase part of a single share (for example, 0.5 or 0.25) rather than buying a full share. You receive a proportional share of any dividends and benefit from price movements in the same way as owning a whole share.

Not all apps offer fractional trading, but it can be helpful for investors with smaller amounts to invest, or when share prices are very high. Berkshire Hathaway’s Class A shares, for instance, trade at hundreds of thousands of dollars each, making fractional ownership far more accessible than buying one outright.

Monthly investing lets you put a fixed amount (often from £25 per month) into shares, funds or ETFs. Payments are automatically invested on a set date each month, allowing you to grow your portfolio steadily without trying to time the market.

This approach takes advantage of pound-cost averaging, which buys more units when prices are lower and fewer when they are higher. Some apps also offer discounted trading fees for monthly investing, making it a cost-effective option for long-term investors.